Two Met officers drove at 70mph in a 30mph zone before pregnant woman was killed, court hears

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

PC Chris Johnson, 56, pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey to causing death by dangerous driving after a high-speed collision on Eltham Road, south-east London, in October 2024. Mariam Ahmed, 38, was killed when her Volkswagen Polo was hit in the crash, and her unborn child could not be saved. Former PC Danny Tomkins, 35, denied dangerous driving in relation to events preceding the collision; both men were granted unconditional bail.

Both officers were on duty as part of a "pre-planned deployment" and moved into oncoming lanes to overtake traffic, travelling approximately 130 metres on the wrong side of the road in doing so.

Johnson was allegedly doing around 50mph at the moment of impact, while Tomkins had passed Ahmed at 78mph shortly before the collision.

A trial date has been set for 7 June next year, with a case management hearing at the Old Bailey on 8 January.